Watch strap



Sept. 6, 1966 BRUNET WATCH STRAP Filed July 27. 1964 lli s |54 y /fomeys United States Patent O z claims. (ci. 224-4) This invention relates to a watch strap, in particular lfor :an underwater diving watch.

An object of the present invention is to provide a strap of this kind which is capable not only of fulfilling the necessary robustness requirements but also of having its length adjusted to the size of the wearers arm in a simple and rapid manner without lhaving to resort to the use of a tool and without affecting its strength, Iand which is rendered safe against Iaccidental opening.

The Watch strap according to the invention broadly comprises a plurality of frame-like members and a plurality of connecting hinge members between said framelike members to provide hinged connection therebetween.

Some of these connecting hinge members, preferably those nearest the clasp may be dismantleable to permit adjustments in the `length of the strap by removal or insertion of one or more frame-like members. The dismantleable connecting hinge members may consist of two longitudinally split collets, of which one is engageable, preferably elastically, in the other, the width of the slits in the split collets being sufficient to permit the passage therethrough of a side of a frame-like member. By engaging one split collet in the other in inverse relation, the two split collets together form a closed unit trapping the transverse sides of adjacent frame-like members.

One of the terminal `frame-like members may be connected to a watch case by a fastening member of which one portion is tubular and retained lbetween a first pair of lugs provided on the watch case by means -of a single thick pin, while the other terminal frame may be connected to the watch case iby a hinging fastening member consisting `of two parts hingedly mounted in rel-ation to one another on a second, oppositely disposed, pair of lugs provided on the watch case. To this end, each part of the hinging fastening member is provided with a lateral outwardly directed projection extending into a hole formed in lone of the lugs of the second pair and with a lateral inwardly directed projection which is offset in relation to the outwardly directed projection and which, upon assembly, is positioned in facing relation with the corresponding lug of the other fastening -member part to be surrounded by a single collet thereby to connect the two parts of the hinging fastening member. This lfastening member denes, when its two component parts are assembled, a gap for housing the watch case winder crown which is thus protected. This Winder crown is preferably screwed on to a short tubular member carried by the watch case, the width of the gap being in this case such that the crown can only be housed therein when the crown is fully screwed on to the tubular member, thereby to ensure fluidtightness `of the crown. If the crown is not -fully screwed down, it will abut against the collet connecting the two parts of the 'fastening member and so will draw the attention of the Watch wearer to this defect `and hence to the fact that the -crown -is not iluidtight.

The clasp of the watch strap may comprise a connecting member having hook portions at opposite ends thereof for hooking adjacent frame-like members and a dished portion intermediate the hook portions in which is housed spring means, preferably a bent leaf spring, through which extends a stud passing through a hole formed in the bottom of the dished portion and carrying at its Ifree end a Fice pivotal closing member having at its ends wing portion for closing off the hook portions.

All of the parts of the watch strap are preferably made of highly resistant material, for example stainless steel, and some ofthe links of the strap may be curved, preferably those nearest the watch case.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be -made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a watch strap according to the invention shown secured to a watch case;

FIGURE 1a is an exploded view of a detail of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal Section of the watch str-ap with its clasp shown closed and without the watch case.

Referring to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 1 designates the watch case which is provided with a first pair of lugs 2 and 3 to which is 'fastened one half of the watch strap and with .a second pair of lugs 4 and S to which is fastened the other half of the strap. f

Each half of the watch strap comprises a plurality of frame-like members for example two long frames `6 and 7, and two shorter frames S and 9. Frame 6 is secured to the case 1 by a substantially T-shaped fastening member lll the cross-bar portion of which extends between lugs 2 and 3 and is folded back or pierced to defi-ne a transverse channel for -receiving a thick pin 11 lacting as a hinge while its leg portion 12 is Vfolded over the adjacent side 13 of frame 6. The opposite side 14 of frame 6 is connected to the side 15 of frame 7 by a member 18 having two folded back end portions 16 and 17 respectively enveloping sides 14 Iand 15.

Frame -8 is secured to frame 7 and to frame 9 by a removable connecting member 19 consisting of two inserted split collets 20 and 21, the latter being inserted into the other with preferably some elasticity. Collets 20 and 21 are mounted one within the other in a manner such that their respective slits may be contained in separate planes so that in their illustrated positions the two collets together form a closed unit encompassing the two transverse sides 23 and 24 of the two adjacent frames 7 and 8. The slits in the split collets are opened out and have a suicient transverse width to permit sides 23 and Z4 to be passed therethrough either singly or together. The split collets are prevented from rotating in relation to one another by virtue of their elliptical cross-section; but means other than those resulting `from the shape of the collets could be used to this end.

If the strap is to be shortened to the extent of one link, for example by the removal of frame 8, it sutiices to extract the collets 21 .from the two connecting members 19, to eliminate frame 8 and to restore the continuity of the strap by elimination of one of these connecting members 19 and by connecting frame 9 to frame 7.

FIGURE 1a lis an exploded View of the fastening device for hooking the strap to case lugs 4 and S provided with aligned holes 4t) and 41. This fastening device consists of two identical Iparts `42 and 43. Each of these parts comprises a lateral outwardly directed Iprojection 44, 45, for engagement in holes 41 and 40, and a second inwardly directed projection 46, y47 adapted to be positi-oned in alignment with one another upon assembly which is carried out by means of a collet 4S formed -around the two projections 46 and 47. Reference numeral 49 designates the Winder crown adapted to 'be screwed on to an externally threaded sleeve 'barrel Si) which is integral with the watch case. When fastening device 42, 43 is assembled, it defines with the case a gap 51 having a width such that the fastening device can only assume its correct position if crown 49 is fully screwed down. If it is not, the attention of the wearer will consequently be drawn to this and will indicate to him that the crown requires to be fully screwed down to ensure uidtightness.

Reference character F generally indicates the clasp of the strap.

This clasp comprises a lower fastening member having two hook portions 25 and 26. In the latter portion is hingedly mounted the transverse side 28 of frame 27, the arrangement being such that side 28 cannot move out of hook portion 26. Between the latter and hook portion is provided an intermediate dished portion 29 in which is `housed a bent leaf spring 30 so biased as to move the middle portion thereof away from the bottom of the dished portion which is formed with an opening 32. Through an opening formed in t-he spring 30 extends a stud 33 having a head 34 and carrying on its other end 35 a pivotal member 36 for closing the catch, which closing member includes two lateral wing portions 37 and 38 which cooperate when the catch is closed with the hook portions 25 and 26 to enclose sides 28 and 2S' of the two frames I27 and 9. To open the clasp, it sufces to pivot the closing member 36 by a quarter turn (see FIGURE 1) and side 28 can then be removed from hook portion 2S.

This clasp is extremely safe for the spring 30 presses the hook portions of the closing member -36 against the hook portions 25 and 26 with sulicient force to prevent accidental opening, notably when the diver hooks an obstac-le with the clasp of his watch strap.

The several frames yare preferably made of a resistant material, for example stainless steel, and the terminal frames 6 and 7 on opposite side of the case are advantageously given a cambered shape in order that the strap may provide a good t around the wearers arm.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a watch case having two oppositely disposed pairs 4of spaced parallel lugs with aligned holes, and having between one of said pairs of spaced lugs a threaded sleeve barrel projecting perpendicularly from said case in the plane of said one pair of lugs and a crown screwed on to said sleeve barrel; a watch strap comprising ytwo parts and a clasp releasably connecting one end of one of said strap parts to one end of the other of said strap parts, said strap parts each including a plurality of frame-like members and a plurality of connecting hinge members between said frame-like members to provide hinged connection therebetween, and said strap parts each including a fastening device for fastening the opposing ends of said strap parts to said watch case, the

fastening device of one of said strap parts comprising a generally U-shaped stinrup-like component including a middle portion secured to the terminal frame-like member at said opposite end of said one strap and spaced from the watch case for a distance equal to that of the free end of the crown from said case when the crown is tightly screwed on the said sleeve barrel, and including end portions having outwardly directed projections engaging in said aligned holes of said one pair of lugs to provide a hinged connection, whereby the said stirrup-li-ke component has dimensions such that it can only straddle said crown when said crown is fully screwed on said sleeve barrel, the fastening device of the other of said strap parts comprising a component including -a first portion secured to the terminal `frame-like member at said opposite end of the other of said strap parts and a second portion positioned between the other of said pair of spaced lugs and having a transverse channel therethrough, the fastening device of said other strap part further comprising a pin extending through said channel and terminating in said aligned holes in said other pair of lugs.

2. The combination of claim y1, wherein said stirruplike component consists of two separate parts and wherein said middle portion of the stirrup-like component consists of two distinct aligned projections respectively integral with the two separate parts, the fastening device of said one strap part further comprising a single collet surrounding said aligned projections and the adjacent side of said terminal frame-like member at said opposite end of said one strap.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 98,826 3/1936 Bulova 224-48 1,085,857 2/1914 Fitch 224-45 1,194,484 8/1916 De Pollier et al 224-45 1,629,040 5/1927 vMcGrevy 224-45 1,696,577 l12/1928 Kestenman 224-45 1,847,901 3/1932 Roy 59-80 1,943,733 1/1934 Kestenman 59-8 2,133,901 10/ 1938 Mestekin 24-233 2,191,084 2/ 1940 Radzinsky 24-241 2,431,392 1l/11947 Forstner 63-4 3,042,277 7/196-2 Stradella 224-4 3,073,492 1/ 1963 Berger 224-4 GERALD M. F ORLENZA, Primary Examiner. I. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A WATCH CASE HAVING TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PAIRS OF SPACED PARALLEL LUGS WITH ALIGNED HOLES, AND HAVING BETWEEN ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF SPACED LUGS A THREADED SLEEVE BARREL PROJECTING PERPENDICULARLY FROM SAID CASE IN THE PLANE OF SAID ONE PAIR OF LUGS AND A CROWN SCREWED ON TO SAID SLEEVE BARREL; A WATCH STRAP COMPRISING TWO PARTS AND A CLASP RELEASABLY CONNECTING ONE END OF ONE OF SAID STRAP PARTS TO ONE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID STRAP PARTS, SAID STRAP PARTS EACH INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF FRAME-LIKE MEMBERS AND A PLURALITY OF CONNECTING HINGE MEMBERS BETWEEN SAID FRAME-LIKE MEMBERS TO PROVIDE HINGED CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, AND SAID STRAP PARTS EACH INCLUDING A FASTENING DEVICE FOR FASTENING THE OPPOSING ENDS OF SAID STRAP PARTS TO SAID WATCH CASE, THE FASTENING DEVICE OF ONE OF SAID STRAP PARTS COMPRISING A GENERALLY U-SHAPED STIRRUP-LIKE COMPONENT INCLUDING A MIDDLE PORTION SECURED TO THE TERMINAL FRAME-LIKE MEMBER AT SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID ONE STRAP AND SPACED FROM THE WATCH CASE FOR A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THAT OF THE FREE END OF THE CROWN FROM SAID CASE WHEN THE CROWN IS TIGHTLY SCREWED ON THE SAID SLEEVE BARREL, AND INCLUDING END PORTIONS HAVING OUTWARDLY DIRECTED PROJECTIONS ENGAGING IN SAID ALIGNED HOLES OF SAID ONE PAIR OF LUGS TO PROVIDE A HINGED CONNECTION, WHEREBY THE SAID STIRRUP-LIKE COMPONENT HAS DIMENSIONS SUCH THAT IT CAN ONLY STRADDLE SAID CROWN WHEN SAID CROWN IS FULLY SCREWED ON SAID SLEEVE BARREL, THE FASTENING DEVICE OF THE OTHER OF SAID STRAP PARTS COMPRISING A COMPONENT INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION SECURED TO THE TERMINAL FRAME-LIKE MEMBER AT SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID STRAP PARTS AND A SECOND PORTION POSITIONED BETWEEN THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF SPACED LUGS AND HAVING A TRANSVERSE CHANNEL THERETHROUGH, THE FASTENING DEVICE OF SAID OTHER STRAP PART FURTHER COMPRISING A PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CHANNEL AND TERMINATING IN SAID ALIGNED HOLES IN SAID OTHER PAIR OF LUGS. 